Liquid gas filling valve



27, 68 A. L. GUENIN 3,398,769

LIQUID GAS FILLING VALVE Filed June 2, 1966 INVENTOR Andre Guenin Brigf4; .1 44*.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent (3 "ice 3,398,769 LIQUID GAS FILLINGVALVE Andre L. Guenin, Petit-Lancy, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to LaNationale S.A., Geneva, Switzerland Filed June 2, 1966, Ser. No. 554,749

Claims priority, application Switzerland, June 11, 1965,

8,186/ 65 7 Claims. (Cl. 141--293) The present invention relates tovalves for filling containers with liquid gas and more particularly to avalve constructed for filling of a container with liquid gas whilesimultaneously permitting the escape of gas in the gaseous state fromwithin the container.

Presently constructed valves for filling a container with liquid gas maycomprise a movable element mounted in the casing or body intended to besecured in an aperture in the wall of the container. The movable elementis movable within the casing to open two passages, one of which allowsadmission of liquid gas into the container and the other of which allowsthe escape of gas in the gaseous state during the filling operation. Inthese constructions, one of the passages is at least partly formed inthe movable element and closed by an annular gasket bearing against suchelement.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a valve ofthis general type can be manufachired at a very low cost and without anyprecision machining of the parts being necessary. In construction, thelighter of the present invention includes the elements of the valvedescribed above; and in addition, includes a second annular gasketthrough which the movable element of the valve extends. This secondgasket normally bears in sealing-tight relationship against the valvecasing with the second passage of the valve passing between these twogaskets. In addition, an annular member is provided for effecting asealing-tight relationship between the two gaskets when the valve is inthe closed position. This annular member is, in turn, movable relativelyaway from at least one of the gaskets to effect an opening of the secondpassage when the valve is moved to an open position.

The accompanying drawing diagrammatically illustrates one embodiment ofthe valve constructed according to the teachings of the presentinvention.

The valve body consists of a stamped casing 1, the wall of which has asubstantially constant thickness. The bottom end of the casing 1 is bentover to form an end 2 acting as a support for a coil spring 3 whichloads a valve member 4 in the closed position. The valve member 4 isformed by a flange of a movable element generally designated at 5, thebottom end 6 of which is guided in an aperture 7 formed in the end 2.The aperture 7 has a circular portion communicating with two radialnotches 8 which act as passages for the gas which is to be introducedinto the container.

The top part of the movable element is formed with a longitudinal bore 9communicating with a transverse bore 10 above the valve member 4. Thetop end of the element 5 has circular ribs 11 for securing a sleeve 12integral with a hollow needle 13 thereto, the sleeve 12 havingcorresponding ribs in the inner walls of its cylindrical part.

The movable element 5 is guided in the casing 1 by a second sleeve 14having a radial shoulder 28 cooperating with a circular deformationforming a rib 15 on the inside of the casing to hold the sleeve 14axially therein. The sleeve 12 has a plurality of longitudinal grooves16 on its outer surface to form passages of given section to allow gasto escape between the sleeve 12 and the sleeve 14. Alternatively,clearance can be provided between the sleeve 12 and the sleeve 14 forpermitting the 3,398,769 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 gas to escape, in whichcase the grooves 16 could be dispensed with.

Two annular gaskets 17 and 18 separated by a ring 19 are clamped betweenthe sleeve 14 and the valve member 4 which is loaded in the direction ofthe sleeve 14 by the spring 3. An aperture 20 is formed in the casing 1at a position level with the ring 19.

In addition to the rib 15, the casing 1 also has two other circulardeformations forming ribs 21 and 22. The rib 21 cooperates with the rib15 and the sleeve 14 to hold the gasket 17 in position while the rib 22acts as a stop to limit movement of the gasket 18 in the downwarddirection.

Above the rib 15, the casing 1 flares out slightly and at the topterminates in a cylindrical portion 23, the diameter of which in theinoperative state is slightly greater than that of the aperture in thewall 24 of the container in which the valve is mounted. In distinctionto this, the part of the casing 1 which is situated beneath the rib 15has a slightly smaller diameter than that of the aperture in the wall 24so that it can be introduced into the latter without resulting indeformation which might have an unfavorable effect on the properoperation of the valve.

The top end of the casing 1 also has an inner rib 25 produced bydeformation and an outer rirn 26 in tended to retain a gasket 27squeezed between the casing and the wall 24 of the container when thevalve is fitted so as to provide absolute sealing-tightness betweenthese two parts. Rib 25 is intended to act as a support for anextensible tool intended to be disposed therebeneath so that the casing1 can be removed from the aperture in the wall 24 if the valve has to berepaired or replaced.

When it is required to introduce liquid gas into the container, a refilltank having a connection closed by a rubber disc is used, the connectionbeing fitted onto the hollow needle 13 which per-forates the rubberdisc. Force applied to the connection causes the latter to move thesleeve 12 and the element 5 downwardly against the action of the spring3. The bottom edge of the sleeve 12 bears against the top inner edge ofthe gasket 18 and pushes the gasket downwards until it abuts thecircular rib 22 of the casing 1. As a result of the pressure exerted onthe edge of the aperture inside the gasket 18 and its retention by itsouter periphery, upon engagement with the rib 22, the gasket is twistedso that the element 5 is moved relatively away from the wall of theinner aperture of this gasket thus opening the transverse bore 10. Thismovement of the gasket 18 also moves the latter away from the gasket 17and thus opens a passage whereby some of the gas contained in the tankcan escape to the exterior via aperture 20 between the gaskets 17 and 18and via the grooves 16 in the sleeve 12.

This liquid gas originating from the refill tank enters the container asit passes through the needle 13, the bores 9 and 10, the space aroundthe valve member 4 and the bottom part of the movable element 5, andfinally enters the reservoir via radial notches 8.

When the connection is removed, the valve resumes its inoperative closedposition under the action of the spring 3 and the admission and escapepassages are again closed.

In the construction described, the radial thickness of the gasket 17 maybe less than the distance between the sleeve 14 and the inner wall ofthe casing 1. The flexibility of the gasket 17 is enough for it to bedeformed by the annular ring member 19 in the closed position of thevalve so that it will bear in sealing-tight relationship against thewall of the casing 1. Thus, rubber gaskets with very wide tolerances canbe used without in any way affecting the proper operation of the valve.

By making the valve casing from drawn sheet-metal, a valve body of thiskind can be obtained with a relatively thin wall so that valves of avery small outside diameter can be manufactured. This is a veryadvantageous feature where the valves are to be fitted to smallcontainers as is applicable, for example, to some types of cigarette andpipe lighters.

Although the presently preferred embodiment of the invention has beendescribed above, it is to be understood that various modificationsthereto can be made without departing from the scope of the invention asset forth in the claims which follow. For example, if the connection forthe refill tank does not have a closure disc of elastic material forperforation by a hollow needle, the latter can be dispensed with, theconnection of the refill tank simply bearing against the sliding memberwhich otherwise had the hollow needle. Also, if the refill tank has ashoulder of a shape corresponding to the bottom part of the slidingelement, the shoulder can cooperate directly with the gasket 18 and withthe valve member 4 to bring the valve into the open position. In such acase, all of the top part of the movable element 5 can be dispensedwith.

I claim:

1. In a valve for filling a container with liquefied gas including anouter casing adapted to be secured in an aperture in the Wall of acontainer, a movable valve element reciprocably mounted in said casingin radial spaced relationship therewith for movement between a first andsecond position along the longitudinal axis of said casing, a firstpassage extending at least partially through said movable valve elementfor connecting the interior of said container to the exterior thereofwhen said valve element is in said second position, a first annulargasket positioned in said casing in sealing engagement against saidmovable valve element when the latter is in said first position to sealsaid first passageway, the improvement comprising:

(a) a second annular gasket positioned within said casing at a locationspaced from said first gasket along the longitudinal axis of saidcasing;

(b) a second passage extending through said casing at a locationdisposed between said gaskets and extending to the exterior of saidcontainer for connecting the interior thereof to the exterior when saidvalve element is in said second position; and

(c) a ring member positioned within said casing be tween said gasketsand in engagement therewith when said valve element is in said firstposition to normally hold said second gasket in a position sealing saidsecond passage, said ring member being movable relatively away from atleast one of said gaskets upon movement of said valve element to saidsecond position to open said second passage.

2. In a valve for filling a container with liquefied gas including anouter casing adapted to be secured in an aperture in the Wall of acontainer, a movable valve element reciprocably mounted in said casingin radial spaced relationship therewith for movement between a first andsecond position along the longitudinal axis of said casing, a firstpassage extending at least partially through said movable valve elementfor connecting the interior of said container to the exterior thereofwhen said valve element is in said second position, a first annulargasket positioned in said casing in sealing engagement against saidmovable valve element when the latter is in said first position to sealsaid first passageway, the improvement comprising:

(a) a second annular gasket positioned within said casing in sealingengagement with the inner wall thereof when said valve element is insaid first position, said second annular gasket being disposed at alocation spaced from said first gasket along the of said gaskets beingpositioned Within said casing.

for movement away from the other gasket when said valve element is insaid second position to produce relative axial movement between saidring member and at least one of said gaskets and open said secondpassage between said gaskets. 3. A valve according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) said first gasket is slidably positioned within said casing formovement toward and away from said second gasket; and

(b) said ring member is disposed within said casing for freemovementbetween said gaskets along the longitudinal axis of said casing whensaid valve element is in said second position.

4. A valve according to claim 3 further comprising:

(a) a sleeve member disposed between said second gasket and said valveelement in at least partially spaced relationship with respect to saidvalve element.

5. A valve according to claim 4 wherein:

(a) the radial thickness of the second gasket is less than the distancebetween said sleeve and the inner wall of said casing; and

(b) the flexibility of said second gasket is sufitcient for it to bedeformed by said ring member when said valve element is in said firstposition so that said second gasket bears against said inner wall insealingtight engagement therewith.

6. A valve according to claim 5 wherein:

(a) said sleeve has a radially outwardly extending shoulder forced intosaid casing; and

(b) said casing has two circular ribs on its inner wall on the axiallyopposite sides of said second gasket and sleeve for holding said secondgasket and sleeve against axial movement within said casing.

7. A valve according to claim 6 wherein:

(a) said casing is constructed of deformable, stamped metal having anundefor-med diameter at the end thereof adapted to be exposed to theexterior of said container which is slightly larger than the diameter ofthe aperture in the wall of said container whereby said casing may beheld in position in the aperture of the wall of the container by theresidual elasticity of said casing after deformation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,882,940 4/ 1959' Zellweger141293 3,195,590 7/1965 Iketani 141-293 3,221,782 12/1965 Zellweger eta1. 141-295 X 3,285,298 11/1966 Gellman 141293 LAVERNE D. GEIGER,Primary Examiner.

H. S. BELL, JR., Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A VALVE FOR FILLING A CONTAINER WITH LIQUEFIED GAS INCLUDING ANOUTER CASING ADAPTED TO BE SECURED IN AN APERTURE IN THE WALL OF ACONTAINER, AMOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING INRADIAL SPACED RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST ANDSECOND POSITION ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CASING, A FIRSTPASSAGE EXTENDING AT LEAST PARTIALLY THROUGH SAID MOVABLE VALVE ELEMENTFOR CONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER TO THE EXTERIOR THEREOFWHEN SAID VALVE ELEMENT IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION, A FIRST ANNULARGASKET POSITIONED IN SAID CASING IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT AGAINST SAIDMOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT WHEN THE LATTER IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION TO SEALSAID FIRST PASSAGEWAY, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: (A) A SECOND ANNULARGASKET POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CASING AT A LOCATION SPACED FROM SAIDFIRST GASKET ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CASING; (B) A SECONDPASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CASING AT A LOCATION DISPOSED BETWEENSAID GASKETS AND EXTENDING TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER FORCONNECTING THE INTERIOR THEREOF TO THE EXTERIOR WHEN SAID VALVE ELEMENTIS IN SAID SECOND POSITION; AND (C) A RING MEMBER POSITIONED WITHIN SAIDCASING BETWEEN SAID GASKETS AND IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH WHEN SAID VALVEELEMENT IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION TO NORMALLY HOLD SAID SECOND GASKET INA POSITION SEALING SAID SECOND PASSAGE, SAID RING MEMBER BEING MOVABLERELATIVELY AWAY FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID GASKETS UPON MOVEMENT OF SAIDVALVE ELEMENT TO SAID SECOND POSITION TO OPEN SAID SECOND PASSAGE.